Borussia Dortmund kept the pressure on Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga title race after Sebastien Haller and Donyell Malen starred in a 5-2 thrashing of Borussia Monchengladbach.

Bayern's 6-0 rout of Schalke sent the champions four points clear at the top prior to Saturday's kick-off at Signal Iduna Park, where Dortmund soon sliced that advantage to one again.

Edin Terzic's hosts surged into a 4-0 lead inside 32 minutes as Malen opened the scoring and twice teed up Haller, with Jude Bellingham also on target from the penalty spot.

Ramy Bensebaini pulled one back with a 75th-minute penalty and substitute Lars Stindl also struck for Gladbach, but Giovanni Reyna made sure it was an emphatic Dortmund victory with a stoppage-time strike.

Dortmund needed only five minutes to open the scoring as Malen headed home from point-blank range after Haller's deflected strike left Jan Olschowsky stranded.

A fine Gregor Kobel stop against Bensebaini denied Gladbach an immediate response, with that save proving vital as Dortmund struck a double blow soon after.

Bellingham squirmed an unconvincing penalty past Olschowsky after Florian Neuhaus had needlessly felled Haller, who added a third just two minutes later when flicking Malen's low cross into the bottom-left corner.

Another right-wing centre from Malen brought Haller's second as the Dortmund forward volleyed emphatically into the top-right corner.

A stretching Olschowsky thwarted a fizzing Bellingham drive after the interval.

Bensebaini reduced the deficit with a penalty after a Reyna foul, before Stindl whipped into the bottom-right corner for another consolation goal with five minutes left.

But the Gladbach fightback arrived too late and it was Reyna who had the last word when he tapped home a late Dortmund fifth from an Olschowsky mistake.


What does it mean? Dortmund remain in the hunt

Bayern will remain buoyed by the fact the last time the Bundesliga title race was this close after 31 matchdays, the Bavarian giants ousted Wolfsburg to league glory 14 years ago.

But Dortmund continue to hold their end of the deal in the battle for German top-flight glory, pushing Thomas Tuchel's side all the way after their 17th win in 18 competitive home games against Gladbach.

Home form has been key for Terzic's side this season, too, with no team in Europe's top five leagues scoring more goals on their own soil than Dortmund's 53 in 2023.

Marvellous Malen

Malen may have turned provider in a delightful display of selfless creativity against Gladbach but his rich vein of scoring form also continued.

The Dortmund forward has scored eight goals in his last eight league matches, while he has found the net in each of his last six home Bundesliga outings.

Grim Gladbach struggle on road again

A trip to Dortmund was always likely to prove a troublesome task, given Terzic's men had won a club-record 10 home league matches in a row before this visit.

The nature of Gladbach's crumbling came as no surprise as well, with Daniel Farke's side having now just won one of their last 16 top-flight away games this season (D6 L9).

What's next?

Dortmund visit Augsburg on Sunday May 21, which is also when Gladbach travel to Bayer Leverkusen.

England international Jude Bellingham scored twice as Borussia Dortmund hammered Wolfsburg 6-0 to stay firmly in the Bundesliga title race.

Bellingham bagged both of his goals in the second half as Dortmund moved to within a point of Bayern Munich at the top of the table.

Karim Adeyemi also scored a brace, with Sebastian Haller and Donyell Malen getting on the scoresheet in the first half.

Napoli showed no after-effects of their wild Serie A title celebrations as they beat Fiorentina 1-0.

Luciano Spalletti’s side sealed their first title success in 33 years in midweek and the celebrations were long, but Victor Osimhen’s 74th-minute penalty ensured there was no hangover.

They remain 17 points clear of Juventus, who strengthened their second-place hopes with a 2-0 win over Atalanta.

Second-half goals from Samuel Iling-Junior and Dusan Vlahovic moved them two points ahead of third-placed Lazio with four games of the season to go.

Karim Adeyemi and Jude Bellingham starred as Borussia Dortmund maintained the pressure on Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich with a commanding 6-0 victory over Wolfsburg.

Adeyemi struck twice and provided an assist for Sebastien Haller, though a missed penalty denied him a hat-trick at Signal Iduna Park.

Bellingham joined Adeyemi in grabbing his brace while Donyell Malen completed the scoring, moving Dortmund to within a point of Bayern following their 10th straight home league win.

Meanwhile, seventh-placed Wolfsburg suffered only their second defeat in 10 games as they missed the opportunity to climb into the top six.

Dortmund broke through in the 14th minute when the unmarked Adeyemi headed in Julian Ryerson's deflected cross.

After Patrick Wimmer and Jakub Kaminski were denied in quick succession, the hosts doubled their lead as Adeyemi turned provider with an inviting cross for Haller to tuck away inside the six-yard box.

Dortmund made it 3-0 eight minutes before the break, Julian Brandt springing the offside trap before squaring for Malen to slot into the empty net.

Bellingham got in on the act nine minutes after the restart. The England midfielder embarked on a strong run individual run before his powerful 25-yard strike was brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar by Koen Casteels, only for the looping ball to spin back over the line.

Adeyemi grabbed his second soon after, sliding into the empty net after Haller intercepted Sebastiaan Bornauw's loose back pass and put the ball on a plate for his team-mate.

But the winger was unable to complete his hat-trick from the penalty spot on 65 minutes, blazing over after Kilian Fischer felled Bellingham. 

Nevertheless, Dortmund did get their sixth goal four minutes from time, Brandt neatly flicking a long ball into the path of Bellingham, who made no mistake from close range.

 

Harry Kane's future continues to be a hot topic of debate, with a number of heavyweight clubs lining up to sign the prolific striker should he indicate he wants to leave Tottenham.

Following strong links with the likes of Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, the England international is also now reportedly on Chelsea's list of targets.

The Blues have struggled for goals this term, despite a huge outlay on attacking talent over the past two transfer windows, and need to address that issue ahead of next season.

With Kane's contract due to expire at the end of next season, Tottenham's hand may be forced somewhat should a huge bid come in when the window reopens for business.


TOP STORY – POCHETTINO HOPING TO REUNITE WITH KANE

Not only are Chelsea on the lookout for new recruits – while also offloading plenty of deadwood from their squad – they are searching for a new permanent head coach.

Mauricio Pochettino is thought to be the frontrunner to take over, and the Daily Mail suggests the former Tottenham coach is hoping to work with Kane again at Stamford Bridge.

Spurs would be reluctant to sell to a fellow Premier League side, especially fierce rivals Chelsea, but it is claimed Kane would jump at the chance to reunite with Pochettino.


ROUND-UP

Brighton and Hove Albion have a club-record £30million deal in place with Watford to sign forward Joao Pedro, while Liverpool midfielder James Milner is another target, according to The Athletic. 

– Marca suggests Real Madrid are ready to hold talks with the representatives of in-demand Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham over the next week. Liverpool recently pulled out of the race for the England international.

Juventus could turn to Marseille coach Igor Tudor should they choose to sack Massimiliano Allegri, Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport claims. Tudor previously spent time at Juve as both a player and assistant coach.

– L'Equipe reports striker Jonathan David is likely to leave Lille at the end of the season and could be on his way to the Premier League. Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham are said to be interested.

Marco Reus committed to a new one-year contract with Borussia Dortmund on Thursday as the captain targeted Bundesliga glory.

The 33-year-old Dortmund stalwart wants to begin next season with a championship to defend, having agreed to stay on to the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

It will be his 12th season as a Dortmund first-team player, and possibly his last.

Dortmund-born Reus emerged through the club's ranks before spending six seasons away at Rot Weiss Ahlen and Borussia Monchengladbach, but since rejoining BVB in 2012 he has been a pivotal figure.

As Dortmund noted when announcing his extension, Reus is 16 short of Adi Preissler's record of 177 goals for the club, which may be a target.

Reus sent a message to supporters, saying: "As a team, we – just like all of our fans – have a big goal on our minds right now which our full focus is on: we want to become German champions; to do that, we'll need every single Borusse.

"But beyond that, I still really want to do my best for the club I've spent over half my life with. There's still nothing better for me than scoring goals in front of the best fans in the world in the most beautiful stadium in the world and celebrating victories together.

"That's why I'm happy I've extended my contract for another year, because I've always said there's no other club I'd prefer to play for over BVB in my career."

Dortmund top the Bundesliga by one point from Bayern Munich, with five rounds of games remaining.

Reus has been unlucky with injuries at times in his career, never more so than when he missed Germany's triumphant World Cup campaign in 2014 due to an ankle injury sustained just days before the tournament began.

Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke described Reus as "supremely ambitious to lead our BVB to its greatest objectives", while sporting director Sebastian Kehl was delighted to get the deal over the line.

Kehl said: "As a player and a role model, Marco is enormously important for this club – among our fans in the South Stand and in this city, but also beyond the borders of Dortmund and to BVB fans all over the world, too.

"As a long-time BVB player and a Dortmund native, he will not only continue to play an active role in enjoying success on the pitch, but will also use all his experience to advance the development of the younger generation within our squad."

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham vowed to "give absolutely everything" in the club's pursuit of Bundesliga glory.

A 4-0 thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday moved Dortmund to the top of the standings, holding a one-point lead over Bayern Munich after their 3-1 defeat at Mainz.

Having lost 4-2 to Bayern at the start of the month, Dortmund's title dreams looked dead in the water, but Edin Terzic's side are unbeaten in the league since (W2 D1).

Meanwhile, Bayern have won just one of their three Bundesliga matches in that time (D1 L1) to flip the title race on its head and put Dortmund in the driving seat.

BVB top the Bundesliga table after 29 games for the first time since the 2011-12 campaign, the last time they won the title.

Bellingham, heavily touted for a mega-money transfer away from Signal Iduna Park at the end of the season, is ready to put it all on the line in pursuit of clinching the title.

"To be honest, it would mean everything. It would mean the world to me," he told Sky Sport Germany.

"I don't want to get ahead of myself and talk about it too much, to end up feeling like I've already won it, as there's five really tough games to come.

"But it would be massive, I would love more than anything to win the league with this club, after everything it's given me. I'll give absolutely everything to try and make that happen."

Manchester City are reportedly keeping a close eye on Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic as a potential replacement for Ilkay Gundogan.

Kovacic, 28, has been a regular starter since arriving from Real Madrid in a £40million transfer back in 2019, but significant upheaval has seen him fighting for his spot in Chelsea's best XI.

With nine substitute appearances among his 23 Premier League outings this season, Kovacic's future at Stamford Bridge is up in the air as he prepares to enter the final year of his current contract.

While City are said to be serious about their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham, it may not stop them making a move for Kovacic, who they purportedly believe could slide in seamlessly in Gundogan's place.

 

TOP STORY – CITY CONSIDER KOVACIC AS BELLINGHAM REMAINS THE PRIORITY

According to GiveMeSport, City are closely monitoring Kovacic's contract situation, and if no extension arrives he could be a prime candidate for Chelsea to ship off.

Further reporting from the Evening Standard adds that Chelsea are planning a "major overhaul" of their squad before June 30 in a race to comply with financial fair play rules.

That newspaper does not mention Kovacic as one of the likely departures, instead naming Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech, Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Conor Gallagher, Romelu Lukaku, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mason Mount.

City are reportedly not dissuaded by Dortmund's asking price of around £125m for English super-prospect Bellingham, but there has been no indication the teenager would sign off on the move among interest from the world's biggest clubs.

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– Calciomercato is reporting Napoli have marked 21-year-old Atlanta United winger and World Cup winner with Argentina Thiago Almada as their top transfer priority.

– According to Sport, Barcelona and Inter are in favour of a potential swap deal that would send 26-year-old midfielder Franck Kessie to Italy in return for 30-year-old Marcelo Brozovic.

David de Gea is on the verge of signing a contract extension with Manchester United, per Forbes.

– Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting Chelsea, United and Paris Saint-Germain target Victor Osimhen will require a €150m (£132m) bid to pry away from Napoli.

– According to TalkSPORT, Aston Villa have renewed their interest in 22-year-old Arsenal talent Emile Smith Rowe after having a £30m bid turned down in 2021.

Edin Terzic wants his Borussia Dortmund players to capitalise on their position in the Bundesliga title race, saying they are "closer than ever".

Since Dortmund claimed two successive league titles between 2010 and 2012, rivals Bayern Munich have dominated, lifting the trophy for 10 straight campaigns.

However, an excellent run of form since the start of 2023 in which they have lost just one Bundesliga game, against Bayern, means Dortmund sit just two points behind the Bavarian side with six matches to play.

With a real chance of finally ending Bayern's string of titles, Terzic hopes his team can take advantage, telling reporters ahead of Saturday's game against Eintracht Frankfurt: "We're closer than ever to the championship trophy, and we don't want to miss this chance.

"We should start grabbing this chance with everything we have as soon as possible, to make it come true.

"If we want to be successful, we all have to be willing to go the extra mile. We have to invest everything to take advantage of our starting position. To do that, we need a home win on Saturday."

Dortmund would be level on points with Bayern if not for conceding a 97th-minute equaliser away at 10-man Stuttgart last time out, and Terzic feels his players are heading into the final stretches of the campaign "with a portion of anger".

Terzic also revealed there was a "question mark" over the availability of Niklas Sule, Nico Schlotterbeck and Anthony Modeste for the clash with European-chasing Frankfurt, though he said: "They were already able to increase the intensity in training, so we have to wait and see."

The race for Jude Bellingham's signature continues, with Liverpool having pulled out last week.

Numerous top clubs are keen on the 19-year-old England international who is contracted with Borussia Dortmund until 2025.

Bellingham signed his initial deal with Dortmund in 2020 but is set for a major pay rise if he moves or pens fresh terms.

TOP STORY – MADRID TO USE DIAZ IN BELLINGHAM DEAL

Real Madrid are plotting a potential player swap-plus-cash deal to land Jude Bellingham in the off-season, according to Cadena SER.

Los Blancos are investigating potentially using Brahim Diaz, currently on loan at Milan, in a deal to help reduce Dortmund's reported €150 million asking price.

Madrid are currently in the process of extending the stays of veteran midfielders Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.

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- Manchester City are preparing a new contract offer for Erling Haaland to ward off rivals interest from top clubs such as Real Madrid, claims The Athletic.

- Rafael Leao wants to stay with Milan following interest from Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, according to Manchester Evening News.

- Newcastle United have established contact with Ousmane Dembele's representatives to discuss a move for the Barcelona winger, claims 90min.

- Arsenal and Newcastle United are both interested in Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby, per Le10Sport.

- The Telegraph reports Chelsea have opted against pursing Luis Enrique as their new manager, instead turning their attention to former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino. The Guardian claims Julian Nagelsmann remains Chelsea's top candidate.

- Tottenham will swoop on Chelsea's decision and look to appoint Enrique as Antonio Conte's replacement, according to The Express.

Harry Kane's future at Tottenham is uncertain, with his contract due to expire in 2024.

As a result, speculation is developing about a move for the England international striker during the next transfer window.

Manchester United are known to be interested in the 29-year-old, while Bayern Munich were previously linked too.

TOP STORY – PSG TO CONTEND WITH UTD FOR KANE SIGNATURE

Paris Saint-Germain will battle it out with Manchester United to land Tottenham forward Harry Kane, reports Le Parisien.

PSG sporting director Luis Campos wants to bolster the side's attack and has identified Kane as their top target.

The French champions' president Nasser Al Khelaifi has a good relationship with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, which may help negotiations.

ROUND-UP

- Lionel Messi has decided to remain in Europe for another two seasons, amid speculation about a move to Saudi Arabia or MLS, namely Inter Miami, claims SPORT. Messi has been linked with former club Barcelona, having yet to re-sign with Paris Saint-Germain.

- Fichajes reports Barcelona are circling to make a move for Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold in the upcoming transfer window. Barca are hoping to sign him on a reduced fee, with the Reds to miss out on Champions League football next term.

- Liverpool will commence talks with Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister's camp soon, according to Fabrizio Romano, who said an off-season exit is a certainty.

- Newcastle United, West Ham United and Tottenham are all circling for James Ward-Prowse who has been told he can leave Southampton if they get relegated, claims Daily Mail.

- Inter have turned their attention to signing Borussia Monchengladbach's Marcus Thuram or Liverpool's Roberto Firmino, rather than making Romelu Lukaku's loan spell from Chelsea permanent, claims Gazzetta dello Sport.

- Fabrizio Romano reports Borussia Dortmund have agreed personal terms with Borussia Monchengladbach defender Ramy Bensebaini to join as a free agent in the off-season.

Liverpool are set for a busy off-season with suggestions that Jurgen Klopp and the club's management want a squad overhaul.

Among the key areas to address is their midfield options, leading to links to numerous players.

It was reported last week Liverpool have pulled out of the race for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham.

TOP STORY – REDS TO RAMP UP MOUNT INTEREST

Liverpool will ramp up their efforts to sign Mason Mount, amid a lack of a breakthrough in negotiations between the midfielder and Chelsea, reports The Guardian.

The Reds have now moved on from Bellingham given Dortmund's asking price, with Mount in their sights given he is out of contract at the end of this season.

Mount has offered no signs that he will extend his Chelsea deal, with Liverpool eager to capitalise and lure the 24-year-old England international to Anfield.

ROUND-UP

- Chelsea could look to join the race alongside Real Madrid for Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez, according to Fichajes. Alvarez is reportedly unhappy with his lack of game-time on the pitch at City.

- Manchester City are interested in an off-season move for Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies along with Real Madrid, reports Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg. Davies' contract runs until 2024 and he has held talks with Bayern on a new deal.

- Man City are also willing to let defender Aymeric Laporte exit in the off-season if he pushes for a move, claims the Daily Mail. Laporte, who is contracted until 2025, has fallen out of favour at City.

- 90min reports Arsenal are tracking Borussia Monchengladbach's Florian Neuhaus, who is contracted until 2024.

- Sport Witness claims Inter's Joaquin Correa has interest from Premier League trio Aston Villa, Everton and West Ham.

- Ex-Tottenham boss Antonio Conte will take over at Roma next season, with Jose Mourinho tipped to move to Paris Saint-Germain, per Calciomercato.

Real Madrid are eager to rejuvenate their squad for coming seasons with investment set to come in the off season.

Los Blancos are set to finish second in the LaLiga title race to Barcelona who hold an 11-point lead with nine games to play.

The depth of the reigning European champions, who are in this season's quarter-finals, has been tested at times this term.

TOP STORY – MADRID BOSS TO SWOOP ON CHELSEA TALENT

Fichajes claims Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has identified Chelsea quartet Reece James, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic as potential targets.

The latter three are all out of contract in 2024, meaning Los Blancos could sign them for free if they do not re-sign.

Perez is plotting to capitalise on Chelsea's downfall this term, with the club to miss next season's Champions League.

Kovacic previously spent three seasons at Santiago Bernabeu, while Mount has attracted interest from several top clubs given his quality and contract status.

 

ROUND-UP

Lionel Messi wants to return to Barcelona when his Paris Saint-Germain contract expire at the end of this season, reports Fichajes. Messi will overlook offers from Saudi Arabia and MLS club Inter Miami to return to his former club.

Manchester United are in pole position to sign French defender Axel Disasi from Monaco in the off season, claims Football Insider. Disasi is out of contract in 2025, with Chelsea and Manchester City also said to be interested.

Liverpool have turned to Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch as an alternative to Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham, claims The Times.

– Calciomercatoweb claims Arsenal are still in the race to sign Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, despite stiff competition from Madrid and PSG .

Toni Kroos is set to accept a contract extension offer from Madrid and re-commit to the club for another 12 months, reports Marca.

Chelsea have met with ex-Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann as they look for their next permanent manager, according to The Times.

Real Madrid are reportedly eager to bolster their full-back options, to upgrade from Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy.

Los Blancos were linked with Manchester City's Joao Cancelo - currently on loan at Bayern Munich - earlier this week by Fichajes.

The Spanish giants are set to miss out on this season's LaLiga title, with Barcelona leading by 10 points.

TOP STORY – MADRID KEEN ON LIVERPOOL'S TAA

Real Madrid will turn to Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold should they fail to land Reece James from Chelsea, claims Ekrem Konur.

Los Blancos are in the market for a new full-back and Konur claims Madrid could also turn to Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong.

Alexander-Arnold has had a mixed campaign for Liverpool, who appear set for a squad revamp in the off-season. The 24-year-old England full-back is contracted with the Reds until 2025.

 

ROUND-UP

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti is an admirer of Torino's 21-year-old midfielder Samuele Ricci with Los Blancos keeping tabs on his situation, according to Tuttosport.

– The Sunday Mirror claims Manchester City are leading the race to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham from Real Madrid , with Liverpool having pulled out.

Chelsea are looking to offer Romelu Lukaku as part of a deal with Atletico Madrid to sign Portuguese forward Joao Felix permanently, reports Fichajes. Chelsea are unwilling to pay Atletico's €100m asking fee, but may part with €70m along with the Belgian forward.

Tottenham are tracking Barcelona winger Ansu Fati, reports Mundo Deportivo. The report suggests Spurs are willing to make him their most expensive transfer in club history.

RB Leipzig are considering a move to sign Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun in the close season, claims Todofichajes. Balogun has impressed this season on loan with Reims .

Chelsea have interviewed Sporting boss Ruben Amorim about taking over as manager next season, reports talkSPORT.

Edin Terzic called Borussia Dortmund's 3-3 draw with Stuttgart "brutally disappointing" as they missed the chance to move level with Bayern Munich at the Bundesliga summit.

The Black and Yellow looked on course to join Bayern at the top of the table when Gio Reyna struck in second-half injury time at Mercedes-Benz Arena.

But a 97th-minute equaliser from Silas Katompa Mvumpa instead saw them drop two crucial points in the title race against their 10-men hosts.

It is the latest capitulation of a topsy-turvy season for Dortmund, and Terzic did not hold back in his scathing assessment of their performance after the final whistle.

"We missed a huge chance as a team," he told Sky Sport Germany. "That is brutally disappointing.

"It is hard for me to find the words [to explain] why it happened.

"We thought that with the loss at home to Werder Bremen, we had already experienced the worst part of the season.

"But this tops it again. We were lucky in the early stages. If we are honest, we almost conceded four goals against a team that was outnumbered."

Dortmund held a man advantage for an hour of the game, after Stuttgart defender Konstantinos Mavropanos was dismissed for a second yellow card in the first half.

Their inability to capitalise on Bayern's own slip-up, after a home draw with Hoffenheim, leaves them trailing the Bavarian giants by two points in the Bundesliga title race with six games to play.

Dortmund next host Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.

 

Jamie Carragher has slammed Liverpool's "timid" withdrawal from the race to sign Jude Bellingham, claiming the Reds have betrayed their fans' trust by failing to pursue him.

With Bellingham expected to leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season and Liverpool's midfield in desperate need of a rebuild, Anfield has long been suggested as a potential destination for the England man.

However, reports this week said Liverpool were no longer targeting Bellingham, with Real Madrid and Manchester City reportedly the frontrunners for the £130million-rated midfielder.

While Jurgen Klopp was unwilling to discuss Bellingham directly at a press conference on Friday, he accepted Liverpool may have to "step aside and do different stuff" in the next transfer window.

The decision to focus on alternative targets has attracted criticism from former Reds defender Carragher, who says the club's hierarchy must win back the confidence of disgruntled supporters.

"Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp built a level of trust with regard to transfers which was the envy of Europe," Carragher wrote in The Telegraph on Friday.

"That trust has gone with news they will not be pursuing Jude Bellingham this summer.

"It must be won back in the next transfer window because Klopp, his recruitment team and owners Fenway Sports Group have been granted a free pass for the dire performances of the last eight months, especially away from home."

With Liverpool highly unlikely to qualify for next season's edition of the Champions League, Carragher feels their failure to compete for Bellingham's signature demonstrates "weakness".

"Everything pointed to waiting for Bellingham. The supporters were sold the dream that the next Steven Gerrard was Anfield-bound," Carragher added.

"After a year working on a deal, it feels like a timid surrender to step aside and allow Manchester City and Real Madrid to fight it out. 

"There are times when a club of Liverpool's stature has to flex some muscle and remind their rivals they can and will be there to compete off and on the pitch.

"To walk away because there is now too much work needed across the whole squad smacks of weakness, negligence and poor planning."

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